TARGETjobs news roundup

There have been ups and downs across the graduate recruitment world this week. Overall the graduate jobs market is ‘better than feared’ as announcements from a number of big graduate recruiters indicating that the situation could improve over the course of the next year.

This week it’s the media sector that’s really making waves. This is my section, and it’s the first time it’s been at the top of this list, so I’m pretty chuffed. The reason for this is that there has been a big change of power at Pearson. This may also affect graduate careers at Penguin and the Financial Times. In a strange coincidence, our summer intern Alex was interested in the FT. See his blog about what to expect on newspaper work experience.

• News at Pearson are that CEO Marjorie Scardino will step down at the end of 2012. There has been some speculation that this could lead to Pearson selling off either Penguin or the Financial Times. For the time being though, it has committed to doing more for graduates.

Not everyone wants to work in the media – I’m not sure why not, coz it’s brilliant! However, I suppose the world does need engineers and such, so for all of you there’s all of this:

• First up, the Law Society Gazette has announced that the number of people employed in City law has increased to 118,700 from 95,900 in 2010. This is especially good in light of the fact that most other professional groups in the City saw a slight dip in numbers.
• If you want to get into social work then you might be interested in the Government’s new scheme ‘Frontline’. Each cohort will undergo two years of training, qualifying at the end of the first, and going on to work as a paid employee.
• Chemistry graduates who are thinking about a career in teaching will be interested to hear that they are now eligible for a £20,000 scholarship. This is part of the Government’s drive to encourage STEM (science, tech, engineering and maths) graduates to join the teaching profession and brings chemistry grads level with their physics colleagues.
• There’s also good news for those who are interested in careers in logistics and transport. Network Rail has doubled the 2013 intake for its management graduate scheme. There are also more than 100 places available in engineering and a range of other specialisms.
• And if you’re looking for graduate jobs in property at the moment, you might have realised that it’s a bit of a numbers game at the moment. 
• In possibly related news, the number of applications to surveying firm Rider Levett Bucknall's graduate scheme has doubled since the start of the recession. It now receives between 300 and 400 completed applications for just 10 vacancies.

If you’re not interested in those sectors, there’s still plenty more news for you to cast your eye over:

• First up, we have some good news from the Higher Education Statistics Agency. Its most recent survey suggested that 62% of graduates who finished their degrees in 2011 were in employment six months later.
• Here’s a conundrum; careers fairs – which ones do you go to? What is the point of them? What do you do when you get there? We’ve put together a neat guide which should answer all those questions and more.
• And finally there’s a bunch of different graduate vacancies closing in the next week. If you want to make it in the consumer goods, hospitality or the Civil Service then get applying.

To get graduate careers news as it happens, check out the news feed. Alternatively, check out the round-up this time next week!

TARGETjobs offers the largest choice of internships and placements. Independent reviews on top graduate employers and career planning tools and expert guidance. Become a TARGETjobs blogger by getting in touch with jackie.balchin2@targetjobs.co.uk.